Methods of reconditioning drums



July 5, 1960 J. l. KATz 2,943,386

METHODS oF RECONDITIONING DRUMS Filed Feb. 16, 1959 's sheetsfsheet 1 Fuga FILS..

INVENTOR.

JACK l. KATZ ATTOP N EY July 5, 1960 J. l. KATz 2,943,386 METHODS oF RECONDITIONING DRUMS Fried Feb. 16. 1959 3 Sheets-sheet 2 I l' BY v FE-7 /iy July 5, .1,960 J. 1. KATz 2,943,386 v l METHODS oF RECONDITIONING DRUMS Filed Feb..1s.l 1959 s sheets-sheet s mmmMWMHMMMWWHn? IE. |o

IN VEN TOR.

JACK I. KATZ Arr-rognes( Fuge United States arent METHODS F RECONDITIONING DRUMS Jack I. Katz, Maplewood, NJ., assignor to Kingsland Drum & Barrel Co. Inc., Newark, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 1'6, 1959, Ser. No. 793,586

18 Claims. (Cl. 29-401) The invention relates to improved methods for reconditioning and/or reconstructing drums of the type having covers permanently connected to each end thereof, or tight-head drums, as they are sometimes termed.

Tight-head drums are widely used for the storage and shipping of materials, such as petroleum products, food products, liquid chemicals, acids, paints, etc. Such drums may be made of light or heavy gage steel and a common capacity is 55 gallons. A common form of seam used to permanently connect the end covers to the drum body is formedby folding or curling a marginal ange provided by the cover about a marginal flange provided by the body and then flattening both flanges against the outer side of the drum to provide an external, circumferential bead. Usually, the same kind of seam is used to connect both covers to the body, although one cover may be thus seamed, and the opposite cover welded to the ybody.

In use, the drum may become dented or otherwise deformed. Also, the contents frequently are of` a character which, after emptying, leaves a residue Within the drum which cannot be satisfactorily removed, when an attempt is made to use the bung opening, providing an on'iice of but limited size, for access to and cleaning of the drums interior. One of the permanently connected covers must be removed in order to permit adequate cleaning of the drums interior. The resulting openended drum also permits the insertion of suitable tools or devices for the removal of dents, and otherwise reshaping the walls of the drum if necessary.

To the best of my knowledge, prior methods for reconditioning a drum, involving 'the removal of a drum end preliminary to cleaning the interior and/or reshaping the Walls of ta drum, have resulted in a loss of the drums capacity orvolume. While a drum of reduced capacity is suitable for some purposes, there are numerous drum uses or applications which require that the drum possess a minimum volume, or a volume not less than `the drums initial or original volume.

' If the old cover is replaced with a new cover, the cost of reconditioning the drum becomes unduly expensive. lt has been proposed to reuse covers which have been cut from drums. However, previous procedures for reconditioning drums have necessitated matching the cover with the same body from which the cover had been removed in order to obtain a suitable assembly of the parts. This has complicated the procedure, and retarded the full realization of a manufacturing procedure on a desirable mass production level.

An object of the invention is to provide a method of reconditioning a drum of the type having the end covers permanently connected to the drum body in which the removal of a cover is accomplished without incurring a loss in the drums capacity or volume.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of reconditioning a drum in which the cover which is severed from the drum body may thereafter be assembled with anyV similarlyv processed drum body, without necesice sitating matching of the cover with the particular body from which it was previously attached. Moreover, the covers and drum bodies processed in accordance with the invention enable a used cover and body to be assembled and permanently secured to one another in a manner which is simple, and accomplished with operating personnel requiring a minimum of skill.

-Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of the type under consideration which furnishes a finished reconditioned drum having the same appearance, as well as the same volume, as the drum possessed prior to its reconditioning, or when it was in a new state.

These, and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken together with the drawings, in which:

`Fig. l is a front elevation of apparatus suitable for separating a cover from a drum body in accordance with the invention, this apparatus also including means for preparing a cover for assembly with a drum body from which a cover has been removed;

Fig. 2 is a side `elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, this view including the showing of a drum in position preliminary to the separation of a cover therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately in the plane of line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the manner in which a cover, permanently connected to a body as shown in Fig. 3, is separated from the body in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 4A is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing another form of operation for separating a cover from a drum body;

Fig 5 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the manner in which a cover which has been separated from a drum body is prepared for assembly with an openended drum;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of apparatus suitable for preparing an open-ended drum to receive a cover for assembly and permanent connection therewith;

`Fig. 7 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing, in greater detail, the operation upon the open-ended drum by the apparatus of Fig. 6;

EFig. 8 is a side elevational View showing apparatus suitable for permanently connecting a processed cover with a processed body;

:Fig 9 is a partial vertical cross-sectiona1 view showing in detail the manner in which the parts are secured to one another by the apparatus of Fig. 8; and

Fig l0 is a partial view' of a drum, partly broken away and in section, showing the relationship of a body and cover which have been processed in accordance with the invention to provide the finished reconstructed drum.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a drum suitable for processing by the method of the invention comprises a hollow, cylindrical body A and a cover B permanently connected to each end thereof. As shown in Fig. 3, at least one cover is connected or seamed to the body by marginal flanges 10 and 12 provided by the body and cover, respectively. The body flange is approximately one-half the length of the cover ange, and the seam is obtained by folding or curling the longer cover ilange about the body flange, and then bending and flattening the anges up against the body -to form an external, circumferential bead 14 extending inwardly from lthe edge of the drum, and adjacent and around the bodys outer side 16. This form of connection, sometimes termed a lock seam, may be provided to connect a cover to the opposite end of the body, or such second cover may be welded to the body. As is usual in the art, the cover B is recessed "Il and comprises an end wall 18, which extends across the inner diameter of the drum body, and a circumferential side wall 2t) which extends substantially at a right angle to the end Wall. The side wall extends substantially parallel to and is in engagement with the inner side 22 of the body. The ange 12, constituting the marginal portion of the cover, extends from the cover side Wall. The drum is provided with the usual bung opening 24 which, in the drum as illustrated in Fig. 2, is located in the drum body. It will be understood, however, that the bung opening or openings may be provided in the top cover.

In accordance with the invention, a cover connected to the body as shown in Fig. 3 is separated from the body so that the original height of the body is retained. The operation of separating a cover from a body is such that the cover flange is entirely retained or retained to an extent which enables reuse of the cover for subsequent assembly with an open-ended drum thus separated from a cover. It is unnecessary to reassemble a cover with the body from which it was removed; it may be reassembled with any body subjected to such separating operation. Consequently, as will be subsequently described, upon assembly of a cover with an open-ended drum separated in accordance with the invention, a reconditioned or reconstructed drum is obtained which possesses' the same volume as the drum possessed originally.

As shown in Fig. 4, the circumferential body ange is severed at its juncture 26 with the cylindrical portion of the body. More particularly, and in accordance with the preferred form of the invention, the bead 14 is bent away from the side of the body and the body flange is severed by cutting means 28 at the point 26 while maintaining the continuity of the adjacent, underlying cover llange 12. The body ange 10 thus becomes a separated piece which may be retained between the folded portions of the cover flange 12. The bead may be bent away from the body in a separate operation prior to cutting, or bending and cutting may be progressively and simultaneously by the same tool. The latter type of operation is preferred.

As shown in Fig. 5, a cover B lthus separated from the drum is prepared for reassembly with a drum body from which a cover has been removed by further bending the marginal portion thereof so that the bead, now designated 14', extends outwardly substantially at a right angle from the side wall 20. While this additional bending operation is not essential, disposing the bead in the position shown greatly facilitates reassembly of the cover to an open-ended drum. At the same time, the side wall may be squared-up with respect to the end wall 18 by means of a suitable bending and forming tool 30. When the cover is separated from the drum body, the yside wall, which was under compression when the cover was connected to the body, has a tendency to expand and assume an inner angle position somewhat in excess of 90 with respect to the end wall. Hence, it is desirable to square-up the side wall with respect to the end wall after the parts are separated.

Open-ended drums and covers resulting from the abovedescribed operations are then subjected to a suitable cleaning operation to remove contents residue, rust, and other extraneous substances or contaminants. Such substances may be turned olf, or removed by suitable alkaline or acid solutions. The drum parts may be shot-blasted to provide bare metal surfaces. The open-ended drums permit the insertion of suitable tools to reshape the body and the cover still connected to one end so that the drum walls acquire a new drum appearance. The separated covers may also be reshaped to provide the desired uniform contour.

The open end of a drum body, having its original height as a result of the manner in which a cover is separated therefrom as above described, is then preferably subjected to an operation which facilitates both the proper assembly of any severed cover with the body and the connection of the parts in permanently secured relationship without necessitating matching a cover with the body from which it has been separated. As shown in detail in Fig. 7, a suitable tool .32, in conjunction with a backing or anvil member 34, are used to provide an external groove 36 inwardly a short distance from the bodys cut edge 26. The groove extends circumferentially around the drum body, and the resultant displacement of metal inwardly provides` an inner surface area 38 of a smaller diameter than the inner side 22 of the rest of the body.

Prior to removal of the cover from the body, the body was also under some compression at the connected area. Upon severing the body marginal flange to separate the cover from the body, the body expands to a slight extent. The grooving operation, with the inward displacement of the metal, provides a reduced inner diameter at such area, thereby permitting a cover to be snugly fit-ted into the open end of the drum body upon their subsequent assembly. Also, it is preferred to impart a flare to the extreme edge of the body at 4i) to provide a lead-in for the subsequent insertion of the cover. In addition, the groove serves as a guideV for the subsequent operation of welding a cover to the open-ended drum.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, a recessed cover B is pressfitted into the open end of a drum so that the side wall 2l) bears firmly against the surface 38 of reduced diameter. The cover is fully inserted when the bead 14', now constituting the cover flange, engages the cut edge 26 of the body. Preferably, the body and cover are weldedY to each other by means of a resistance welding machine 42 of the rotary type. Such resistance Welder is Wellknown in the welding art. An upper welding wheel 44 is brought down to ride rmly in the groove 36. The lower Welding wheel 44', positioned in the recessed portion of the cover, presses against the cover side wall 20. The positively driven Welding Wheels, tightly engaging the parts therebetween, rotate the assembly by friction. After a full revolution of the assembly, a weld 46 is formed at the engaged surface areas of the drum body and cover -to permanently connect the parts. Upon raising the upper Welding wheel, the assembly may be retracted from between the welding wheels.

After completion of the welding operation, the drum is tested for the continuity of the weldment. Air, under pressure, may be placed in communication with the interior of the drum through its bung opening to test the seam. Then, the bead 14 is folded and flattened against the body as shown in Fig. 10. The bead may be progressively bent against the body by any suitable means. Preferably, sufficient pressure is applied to also flatten the portions of the drum body adjacent each side of the Weld 46 as shown. An anvil member may be positioned in the recessed cover as the bead is folded and the body portions flattened. Although the bead contains a body flange piece lll, the piece is not visible, and the reconditioned or reconstructed drum has exactly the same appearance as a new drum.

In greater detail, reference is made to Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 8 for apparatus preferably employed to accomplish the described operations. As shown in Figs. -1 and 2, the cutting means '2S is in the form of a freely rotatable, circular cutting wheel having a rearwardly extending shaft 5l) journaled in a bearing 52 provided in a support 54. The cutting wheel support is mounted for up and down movement in a pair of laterally spaced, vertically extending guides 56 and 56'. The guides are fixed to an upper frame structure 58, securely fastened to a platform 6ft. The platform is positioned above the floor and supported at its corners by the vertical structural members 62. The vertically movable cutting wheel support 54- is connected at its upper end to a piston 64 of an air or hydraulic cylinder 66, the upper end of the cylinder being secured toa cross arm 68 of the frame structure.

Fluid lines 70, 70 are in communication with the top and bottom ends of the cylinder as is common in the art. As shown in Fig. 4 the circular cutting edge 72 of wheel 28 is located on the Wheels largest diameter, a rake or tapered portion 74 receding from the cutting edge. Also, it is preferred that the cutting wheel be mounted on an axis of lrotation so that its front face 76 is at a slight angle with respect to a truly vertical plane. In this manner, the cutting edge 72 may engage the body flange at its juncture with the body, and frictional engagement between the body and the cutting wheel above the line of cutting is avoided. The cutting Wheel serves the additional function of progressively bending the bead 14 away from the drum body as it performs its cutting function. As shown in Fig. 2, the lowermost and cutting position of the rotatable cutting wheel is xed by a stop 78 lsecured to the upper surface of the platform 60 for engagement by the cutting wheel support 54.

' A drum from which a cover is to be separated is mounted upon a rotatable pedestal 80 having an overall diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the drums to be processed. The pedestal is formed with a short upstanding boss 82 extending above a marginal shoulder 84. The boss is of a height and diameter to substantially fill the recess of a cover with a slight amount of clearance with 'respect to the covers end and side walls 18 and 20 when the drum rests upon the shoulder 84.

The pedestal 80 is positively driven or rotated about a vertical axis. As shown in Figs. l and 2, a central stub shaft 86 has one end thereof secured to the pedestal and its other end connected to a gear 88 located below the platform. A supporting bearing is positioned between the pedestal and the platform. The gear and the pedestal are rotated by a motor 9G', through an intermediate gear reducer 92 and gear 94 in meshing engagement with the gear 88. The positive rotation of the pedestal 80, and the confining influence of the freely rotatable cutting Wheel 28 and the pedestal upon the beaded edge of the drum as shown in Fig. 4, serves to separate the parts upon a complete revolution of the pedestal. Though there is clearance between the pedestal boss 82 and the end and side walls of the cover to enable the `accommodation of similarly sized drums, when the bending and cutting wheel 128 is in operative position, the drum is pushed laterally against the side of the 'boss 82 and is firmly supported as bending and cutting progresses.

The machine shown in Figs. l and 2 is preferably also provided with the means to condition covers for assembly with open-ended drums. Thus, after the cut, openended drum body is lifted off the machine, the forming tool 30 is brought to bear upon the cover resting on the pedestal 80 to perform the shaping of the cover side wall and further bending of the cover flange or bead as hereinbefore described in connection with Fig. 5. It will be understood, of course, that this operation may be performed, if desired, on another machine or at another station.

As shown in Fig. 1, the shaping and bending tool 30 i-sh mounted for rotation at the end of a lever arm 96 pivoted on a bracket 98. rPhe bracket is fastened to the top of the platform 60. The other lever arm 100 has its end pivotally connected to a vertically reciprocable shaft 102 of an air cylinder 104. The air cylinder is supported on a structural member '106 secured to a platform support member 62. The llinkage permits bringing the forming `tool from its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 1, into engagement 4with the cover, as shown in Fig. 5, so that upon positive rotation of the pedestal 80, and with it the cover B, the described bending and vshaping of the cover maybe accomplished. The bending and forming tool 30 is shaped so that when in operating engagement with a cover, it provides a vertical face I108 for engagement with a cover side wall 20 and a horizon- 6 tal face to bear upon and flatten the cover bead 14.

As shown in Fig. 6, lthe anvil member 34, which is in the form of a pedestal, is mounted for rotation above a platform 112 supported above the floor by vertical structural members i114. The space between the platform and oor accommodates means for driving or rotating the pedestal. The driving mechanism for the pedestal may be the same as described in connection with Figs. 1 and t2, and comprises a gear 116 directly connected to the pedestal and driven by a motor 118, through a tgear reducer rotating a gear 122 in meshing engagement with the gea-r 116. The open-ended drum is received upon the pedestal 34 with some clearance, and is rotated with the positively driven pedestal when confined against the pedestal by the grooving tool `32.

The grooving tool 32 is in the form of wheel supported for rotation upon a shaft 124 journaled in bearings provided by the spaced arms of a bifurcated bracket `126. The bracket is secured to the end of a piston -28 extending into an air or hydraulic cylinder 130. The cylinder is secured within brackets 132 and 132 secured to the top of the platform A112.

As best shown in Fig. 7, the anvil pedestal 34 is provided with a short cylindrical boss l134 extending upwardly from a horizontal, circumferential shoulder l136. The side wall of the boss is provided with an indentation 138 extending about its circumference having a contour such as illustrated. The cooperating grooving wheel 32 is provided with a face .140 having a matingly shaped contour to form, when the grooving wheel isbrought to bear against the side of the open-ended drum, the external groove 36 and the flare 40 -to the out edge of the body.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 8 serves to suitably support a drum body and cover assembly -for welding to one another. The assembly is laid upon the freely rotatable, horizontally spaced rollers 142. The rollers are mounted for rotation in bifurcated brackets 144 secured to the top `surface of a horizontal structural base 146, which is also a foundation lfor the Welding machine 42. The end of the drum, opposite the end to be worked upon and welded, is confined by and received in a dished, rotatable bearing member 148. The bearing member is secured at its rear face to a piston of lan hydraulic cylinder 152 for the forward horizontal movement and retraction of the bearing member. The piston is also rotatable about its longitudinal axis to allow the bearing member to be rotated. The cylinder is secured to a vertical structural member 154 fastened to the base 146. The forward movement of the bearing member 148, and the drum body and cover assembly, is limited by a suitable stop 156, which is preferably in the form of -a roller mounted to extend from a vertically arranged support 158. The support is secured at its lower end to the base 146. The roller stop bears -against -a cover end wall 18 when the assembly is in operative welding position as shown in Fig. 9. As the Welding wheels 44, 44 frictionally rotate the assembly held in position by the described mechanism, the drum is supported upon the rollers I142 and rotates about its longitudinal axis.

For bending the bead 14 and attening it against the drum body, as well as attening the portions of the drum body adjacent the Weld to the preferred iinal form, as shown in Fig. 10, apparatus of the general arrangement shown in Fig. 6 may be used. A drum supporting pedestal is used, however, which has a boss of uniform diarneter throughout its height, such as the pedestal 80. Also, instead of a grooving wheel 32, the tool to progressively bend the bead back and atten the parts is appropriately shaped `for the purpose.

Although not as desirable from the standpoint of appearance, one of the primary advantages of the invencover in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4A.

cutting the marginal flange of the body lat its juncture with the cylindrical portion of the body, but leaving the cover flange unsevered and substantially intact as previously described, the bead may be severed `from the drum so that the cover retains only a portion 160 of its liange. Such marginal cover flange portion is in the form of a short lip which extends outward laterally from the side wall 20 of the separated cover and possesses a length substantially equal to the thickness of the wall of the drum body.

In severing a cover from a drum as shown in Fig. 4A, the same apparatus as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 may be used, except that the pedestal to support the drum, designated 80', is provided with a circumferential groove 162 to preventr dulling of the cutting wheel 23. The stop 73, provided for engagement by the cutting wheel support 54 to limit the operative position of the cutting wheel, is ixed at a lower position to compensate for the added thickness of metal being severed. The cover side wall 20 may then be squared up as previously described, and the open-ended drum body, having its initial height, may then be grooved as described. When a recessed cover severed from the drum in the manner shown in Fig. 4A is subsequently inserted into an openended drum, preliminary to welding, the short, partial cover ange or lip 160 engages the `cut edge 26 of the drum body to limit the extent which the cover may be inserted, thereby properly positioning the cover. After welding, the extreme peripheral edge of the lip may be blunted, if necessary, by grinding to prevent one from being cut by a sharp edge in handling of the drum. If desired, a covering ring may be disposed over the edge of the drum including the covers lip to extend a short distance inwardly upon the cover side wall and the body wall. Such covering ring may be secured in place by spot welding.

It is believed that the advantages of the invention will be apparent from` the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. A cover connected to a drum body by a lock seam is separated from the drum body in a manner which permits its reuse for reassembly and permanent connection to a drum body separated from a cover in accordance with the invention to provide a linished drum possessing the initial or original capacity or volume of the drum. ln the preferred form of the invention the finished, reconditioned drum possesses the same appearance, as well -as the same capacity, as a new drum. The described operations of preparing a cover for reuse, and preparing the open-ended drum body to receive a cover for their permanent connection is accomplished simply and easily, with a minimum of skill necessary, and without the need to match a cover with the particular body from which it has been separated. It will be understood that the various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as sought to be delined in the following claims.

l claim:

l. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of thecovers being connected to the body by folded marginal anges provided by the body and cover for-ming an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed to provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at a right angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the inner side of the body and extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover flange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than the body liange and being folded about the body harige, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal flange of the body `at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height and a cover having at least a portion of its marginal liange, the separation of the body and cover allowing access to the interior of the drum" for cleaning and/or resh-aping, inserting a cover separated from a body as aforesaid into the open end of the body, said marginal ange of a cover engaging the severed edge of a body and welding the interior surface of the body tothe exterior surface of the side wall of the.

cover.

2. A method las set forth in claim l, wherein the bending and severing are accomplished progressively and simultaneously.

3. A method as set forth in claim l, wherein prior to inserting a cover into the open end of the body, said cover is shaped so that the side wall :thereof extends substantially at a right angle to the end wall.

`4. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to the body by folded marginal flanges provided by the body and cover forming 4an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer `side of the body, the cover being recessed to provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at a right `angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the inner side of the body and extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover ange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than` the body iiange and being folded about the body flange, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal iange of the body at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height while maintaining the continuity of the adjacent, underlying cover flange, the separation of the body and cover allowing access to the interior of the `drum for cleaning and/or reshaping, inserting a cover separated from a body as aforesaid into the open end of the body, welding the interior surface of the body to the exterior surface of the side wall of the cover, and bending the cover flange against the body.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the bending and severing are accomplished progressively and simultaneously.

6. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein prior to inserting a cover into the open end of the body, said cover is shaped so that the side Wall thereof extends l substantially at a right angle to the end wall.

7. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to the body by `folded marginal flanges provided by the body and cover forming an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed to provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at a right angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the -inner side of the body and extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover flange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than the body flange and being folded about the body flange, said method comprising bending the bead away from `the body, severing the marginal flange of the body at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height and severing the adjacent, underlying cover liange to provide a cover having a remaining flange of a length substantially equal to the thickness of the wall of the body, the separa-tion of the body and cover allowing access to the interior of the drum for cleaning -and/or reshaping, inserting a cover separated from a body as aforesaid into the open end of the body, said marginal ange of a cover engaging the severed edge of a body and welding the interior surface of the body to the exterior surface of the side wall of the cover.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein the bending and severing are accomplished progressively and simultaneously.

9. A method as set forth in claim 7, wherein prior to inserting a cover into the open end of the body, said cover is shaped so that the side wall thereof extends substantially at a right angle to the end wall.

l0. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body yand a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to the body by folded marginal ilanges provided by the body and cover forming an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed tto provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at a right angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the inner side of the body and extending substantially `parallel thereto, said cover ilange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than the body ilange and being folded about the body flange, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal llange of the body -at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height and a cover having at least a portion of its marginal flange, the separation of the body and cover yallowing access to the interior of the drum for cleaning and/or reshaping, forming a circumferential groove in the body adjacent its Severed edge to reduce the diameter of the body at the grooved area, inserting a cover separated from a body as aforesaid in the grooved end of a body, and welding the cover to the body at said groove.

ll. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to Ithe body by folded marginal flanges provided by the body and cover forming an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed rto provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at -a right angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the inner side of the body and extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover ange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than the body flange and being folded about the body flange, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal flange of fthe body at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height while maintaining the continuity of the adjacent, underlying cover ilange, the separation of the body and cover allowing access to the interior of the drum for cleaning and/ or reshaping, forming a circumferential groove in the body adjacent its severed edge to reduce the diameter of the body at the lgrooved area, inserting a cover separated from a body as aforesaid in the grooved end of a body, welding the cover to the body at said groove, and bending the cover ilange against the body.

l2. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to the body by folded marginal ilanges provided by the body and cover forming an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed to provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at a right angle thereto, the side Wall being located adjacent the inner Side of the body 4and extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover flange extending from the cover side wall, having a length I,greater than the body flange and being folded about the body flange, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal flange of the body at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height and severing the adjacent, underlying cover ilange to provide a cover having a remaining flange of -a length substantially equal to the thickness of the wall of the body, the separation of the body and cover -allowing access to the interior of the drum for cleaning and/ or reshaping, forming a circumferential groove in the body adjacent its severed edge to reduce the diameter of the body at such grooved area, insert- 1Q ing a cover spafatedfrom a body as aforesaid in the grooved end of. a body, and welding the cover to the body at said groove.

13. A method of reconditioning a drum having a` hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to the body by folded marginal llanges provided by the body and cover forming an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed to provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at a right angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the inner side of the body and extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover flange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than the body ilange and being folded about the body flange, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal flange of the body at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height and a cover having at least a portion of its marginal flange, the separation of the body and cover allowing access to the interior of the drum for cleaning and/or reshaping, shaping the cover so that the side Wall thereof extends substantially at a right angle to the end wall, forming a circumferential groove in the body adjacent its severed edge to reduce the diameter of the body at the grooved area, press-fitting a cover separated from a body and shaped as aforesaid in the grooved end of a body, and welding the cover to the body at said groove.

14. A method as set forth in claim 13, wherein the bending and severing are accomplished progressively and simultaneously.

l5. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to the body by folded marginal ilanges provided by the body and cover `forming an external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed to provide an end wall and a circumferential side wall extending substantially at a right angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the inner side of the body 'and extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover ilange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than the body ilange and being folded about the body llange, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal flange of the body at its juncture with the body to provide a body having its original height while maintaining the continuity of the adjacent, underlying cover llange, the separation of the body and cover allowing access to the interior of the drum for cleaning and/0r reshaping, shaping the cover so that the side wall thereof extends substantially at a right angle to the end wall and so that its marginal flange extends substantially at `a right angle to the side wall, forming a circumferential groove in the body adjacent its severed edge to reduce the diameter of the body at the grooved area, press-fitting a cover separated from a body and shaped as aforesaid in the grooved end of a body, welding the cover to the body at said groove, and bending the cover ilange against the body.

16. A method as set lforth in claim 15, wherein the bending and severing are accomplished progressively and simultaneously.

17. A method of reconditioning a drum having a hollow, cylindrical body and a cover connected to each end thereof, at least one of the covers being connected to the lbody by folded marginal ilanges provided by the body and cover forming Ian external, circumferential bead adjacent the outer side of the body, the cover being recessed to provide an end wall and a circumferential side Wall extending substantially at a right angle thereto, the side wall being located adjacent the inner side of the body tand extending substantially parallel thereto, said cover flange extending from the cover side wall, having a length greater than the body llange and being folded 1'1 about the body flange, said method comprising bending the bead away from the body, severing the marginal ange of the body at its juncture with the body to pro-v vide a body having its original height and severing the adjacent, underlying cover llange to provide a cover having a remaining ange of a length substantially equal to the thickness `of the wall of the body, the separation of the body and cover allowing access to the interior of the `drum for cleaning and/or reshaping, shaping the cover so that the side Wall thereof extends substantially at a right angle to the end Wall, forming a circumferential groove in the body adjacent its severed edge to reduce the diameter of the body at the groove'd area, presstting a cover separated from -a body and shaped as References Cited in the file of this patent p UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,381,435 Rude June 14, 1921 2,175,411 Rheem Oct. 10, 1939 2,196,182 Arnesen s Apr. 9, 1940 2,311,660 Hothersall Feb. 23, 1943 

